Secretarial cabinet



Dec. 25, 1962 H. P. POST SECRETARIAL CABINET Filed Sept. 12, 1960 HAROLD P. POST ATTORNEY United States Patent Gfitiee 3,670,415 Patented Dec. 25, 1962 3,070,416 SECRETARIAL CABINET Harold P. Post, 119 Mohawk Drive, West Hartford 17, Conn. Filed Sept. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 55,362 2 Claims. (Cl. 312-241) This invention relates to cabinets and more particularly to a secretarial cabinet for storing descriptive circulars, etc., for distribution at an exhibition and adapted for folding into compact form for shipment or storage when not in use.

An object of importance of the present invention is to provide a cabinet formed in two generally similar box-like parts hinged together centrally for opening and closing about a vertical axis.

Another object of importance is to provide a table top made up of sections adapted to be secured together and positioned above the cabinet sections and having its sections adapted to be separated and placed for compact storage within the cabinet when the cabinet is folded for shipment or when not in use.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention may include the features of construction and operation set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the accompanying drawing annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification, I have shown the inven tion embodied in a cabinet and table for use by an attendant or secretary at a commercial exhibition of commercial merchandise on display but it will be understood that the invention canbe otherwise embodied and that the drawing is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view showing the cabinet members in their open position, and showing the table sections in position on the cabinet members;

FIG. 2 is a generally similar view of the cabinet members as shown in FIG. 1 with the sections of the table top separated and housed within the cabinet members;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the cabinet members in their closed positions; and

FIG. 4 is a view of the table top sections in their assembled operative position.

In the above mentioned drawing, there has been shown but one embodiment of the invention which is now deemed preferable, but it is to be understood that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawing, it will be seen that the cabinet comprises two generally similar box-like shelved members and 12 hinged centrally together as shown by suitable spaced hinges 14 on adjacent vertical read edges of the cabinet members.

Each member of the cabinet has its sides 11, top 13 and bottom enclosed and its front face open. The back surfaces of the cabinet members 10 and 12 are closed by members 17 as shown in FIG. 3. On the adjacent edges of the cabinet members 19 and 12 the back surface members 17 are provided with the hinges 14 by means of which the members 10 and 12 may be opened to a suitable angle or closed compactly together for shipment.

Within the cabinet members It) and 12 are shelving 16 and one or more drawers 18 as may be desired. As shown in FIG. 1 the front edges of the shelving 16 and drawer 18 are set back appreciably from the front edges of the cabinet members for a purpose presently to be described. Preferably the shelving is made slidable for convenience in obtaining access to the stored literature, etc., stored therein.

Mounted on the upper surfaces 13 of the cabinet members 10 and 12 are supports 20, two being shown on each cabinet member. Adapted to rest on these supports 20 is a table top member formed as shown by three members 1921 and 23 held together in closely fitting aligned arrangement along adjacent edges by suitable dowels 24, as shown in FIG. 4.

The table top members 1921 and 23 may rest on the supports 20 without attachment thereto. Also as shown in FIG. 4 the central top member 21 has its outer edge centrally indented as shown with its side portions at an obtuse angle to each other. The opposite side members 19 and 23 of the table top are symmetrical but reversed relative to each other and flared on their end edges. The outer edges of the side members 19 and 23 continue the angular sides of the central member 21.

Preferably and as shown in the figures of the drawing the outline of the table top formed by members 1921 and 23 when assembled is irregular and has its opposite ends flared as shown in FIG. 4 to completely cover the cabinet members 19 and 12 when in their open position. Adjacent one end of the table top member 19 is a slot 26 of elongated form suitable for permitting cards, etc., to be dropped through the table top member and through an aligned opening in one of the supports 20 into a receptacle provided within the cabinet member.

When packed for shipment the three sections 19-21 and 23 of the table top are disassembled and stored within the front portions of the cabinet members 10 and 12. It is in order to store these separated top members 19-21 and 23 that the shelving and drawer are set back from the front edges of the cabinet members. As shown in FIG. 2 one member 23 of the table top is placed in the left hand cabinet member 14} and the other two table top members 19 and 21 are placed in the right hand cabinet 12. A door or closure 30 may be provided to close the front of one of the cabinet members 12. In the embodiment shown, the door 30 is shown hinged along its outer vertical edge 32. As shown in dot and dash lines, however if preferred, the door 30 may be hinged along its upper horizontal edge in order to provide a small table or shelf at one side of the assembled cabinet members 10 and 12.

I claim as my invention:

1. A secretarial cabinet comprising two similar shelved box-like members hinged together at their adjacent rear edges for pivotal movement about a vertical axis to open and closed positions, a table top member removably mounted on said cabinet members, said top member comprising a central member and two side members detachably maintained together, supports fixed to and extending above the upper surfaces of said cabinet members on which said table members are mounted, and means to house said top members, when separated from each other, within said shelved members when in closed position.

2. A secretarial cabinet comprising two similar shelved box-like members hinged together at their adjacent rear edges for pivotal movement about a vertical axis to open and closed positions, a table top member removably mounted on said cabinet members, said top member comprising a central member and two side members detachably maintained in a plane together on said cabinet members, supports on the upper surfaces of said cabinet members on which said table members are mounted, one of said top members and one of said supports having aligned slots therein, and means to house said top members, when separated from each other, within said shelved members when in closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,507,760 Sutherland Sept. 9, 1924 1,780,287 Wheeler Nov. 4, 1930 2,122,969 Whitcomb July 5, 1938 10 2,771,334 Wahlbom Nov. 20, 1956 

